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Prepared by D.B. Meador, Extension Specialist in Pomology; C.C.
Doll, Area Extension Adviser, Fruits and Vegetables; and J.B.
Mowry, Professor of Horticulture, University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign.
Urbana, Illinois December, 1970
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and
June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
John B. Claar, Director, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign.
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D.B. MEADOR, C.C. DOLL, J.B. MOWRY
Illinois peach variety suggestions are divided into three gen-
eral areas :
AREA 1. This is the major peach shipping area of Illinois. All
varieties suggested are suitable for commercial ship-
ping. For local roadside-stand sales, varieties such
as Envoy, Golden Jubilee, Raritan Rose, and Madison
may be added.
AREA 2. Fruit from this area is sold locally or is hauled to
nearby markets. Thus, shipping firmness is not as im-
portant as in Area 1, but greater winter hardiness is
needed.
AREA 3. This area is marginal for peach production. Only the
most winter-hardy varieties possessing commercial qual-
ities are suggested. Peaches are sold locally and fewer
firm varieties can be marketed successfully.
In the table on page 4, the varieties are listed in order as
they ripen. Regular Elberta is used as the base point (zero) .
The approximate number of days is given before or after regular
Elberta when the first picking of each variety is likely to be
made. Most varieties will ripen fruit over a period of several
days to two weeks, thus requiring two or more pickings. In the
discussion section, varieties are listed in alphabetical order.
The variety suggestions are for satisfactory peach-growing sites;
that is, sites with favorable air drainage. If peaches are to
be planted on a questionable site, a variety should be selected
from the next higher area (see map). For example, choose from
the varieties suggested for Area 2 when a questionable site in
Area 1 is involved. Similarly, Area 3 varieties should be used
if the planting will be on a questionable site in Area 2.
Peaches should not be planted on any poor site, or on any ques-
tionable site in Area 3.
x c i K
Discussion
Belle of Georgia is a winter hardy white peach. Its tender
flesh makes it hard to handle even for local markets. However,
many customers like its distinctive flavor and fine quality even
though the flesh is browning. Belle of Georgia ripens about
six days before Elberta.
Collins is a very bud hardy semi-cling with 75% red skin color,
yellow flesh and enough firmness for shipping. Requires heavy
thinning to obtain medium sized fruit.
Colora is very bud hardy in winter and during bloom. Fair
quality fruit.
Comanche ripens about with Redhaven. Its quality and ap-
pearance are not quite equal to the fruit of properly thinned
Redhaven trees. However, Comanche does not set as heavily as
Redhaven and thus does not require as much fruit thinning to
obtain adequate size. Comanche is more winter hardy than Red-
haven. In 1970 at Alma, Comanche had a full crop whereas Red-
haven had about half of a crop.
Cresthaven has performed well in Areas 1 and 2. It is a
high quality, attractive peach suitable for shipping as well
as local markets. Cresthaven is not winter hardy enough for
dependable production in Area 3.
Eclipse is very bud hardy in winter. Fair quality fruit.
Elberta used to be the king of all peach varieties, but it
is declining rapidly now because of its bud tenderness, pale
color, browning flesh, and average quality.
Envoy has medium-sized fruit very well suited for canning and
fresh-market use. The skin is yellow, with a 60-percent red
blush. Envoy is too soft for shipping, but is resistant to
B. pruni.
Garnet Beauty is an early ripening sport of Redhaven. The
semi -frees tone fruit resembles Redhaven in appearance and fla-
vor, and is firm enough for commercial shipping.
Glohaven has not performed as expected in Illinois. It is
somewhat bud- tender, and has not had regular crops in the Belle-
ville area. During 1970 cold temperatures eliminated the crop
SUGGESTE
Days before or
after Elberta Area 1-'
42 Collins
40 Garnet Beauty
37 Sunhaven
35 Harbelle (trial)
31 Late Sunhaven
30
29 Comanche
28 Redhaven
27
25
24 Harken (trial)
21
18 Loring
14 Harmony (trial)
7 Cresthaven
2 Redskin
7 after Rio-Oso-Gem
a/ Some peach varieties not listed are being grown successfu
considered as the most-dependable ones, and thus the most-
b/ (W) indicates white flesh.
VARIETIES
Area 2- 1
Collins
Garnet Beauty
Sunhaven
Harbelle (trial)
Late Sunhaven
Raritan Rose (W)5/
Comanche
Redhaven
Harbrite (trial)
Harken (trial)
Golden Jubilee
and Envoy
Area &
Collins
Harbelle (trial)
Raritan Rose (W)
b/
Comanche
Redhaven
Harbrite (trial)
Reliance (trial)
Harken (trial)
Golden Jubilee
Harmony (trial)
Madison
Cresthaven
Redskin
Harmony (trial),
Colora, and Eclipse
Madison
in Illinois. However, the varieties suggested above are
ofitable ones for the areas indicated.
in the Grafton area. Glohaven is too soft to be a good ship-
ping peach.
Golden Jubilee is a winter-hardy peach that sizes well and
has a pleasant flavor. Its soft flesh and pale skin color lim-
it it to local markets. Golden Jubilee drops badly as it rip-
ens. However, the trees are hardy and productive.
Harbelle, Harken (Harrow 2066), and Harmony, three
of the four new Canadian varieties, have performed well in tri-
als in Kentucky and in Canada. The fruits have nonbrowning,
yellow flesh and an attractive red skin. Because of their win-
ter hardiness and good fruit quality, these varieties are sug-
gested for trial plantings. The trees are strong, with some
resistance to canker and B. pruni.
Harbrite,the fourth new Canadian variety, has not been tested
in Kentucky. The Canadian description is a "very hardy free-
stone, bright red over yellow skin, with firm yellow flesh. Ex-
cellent tree, very resistant to B. pruni." It matures about
three or four days before Harken and about one or two days af-
ter Redhaven. It is suggested for trial in Areas 2 and 3.
Loring is a high-quality, attractive, shipping peach that
sizes well. The buds are too tender for dependable production
in Areas 2 and 3, but it should be a moneymaker on favorable
sites in Area 1.
Madison is the only one of the presidential series of
peaches from Virginia that is hardy enough for Illinois. And
it is proving to be one of our hardiest varieties. Madison is
suggested for local markets in Areas 2 and 3. Although it is
being shipped from some areas of the United States, it is some-
what soft for easy commercial shipping. Madison drops when it
is fully ripe.
Raritan Rose is an attractive, white-fleshed peach with con-
siderable winter hardiness. It is suggested where a peach with
that kind of flesh is desired for local marketing.
Redhaven is the king of its season, but requires extensive
fruit -thinning in order to obtain adequate size.
Redskin overlaps with lilherta and is rapidly replacing l.lber-
for this season. Its main fault is a weak tree. Redskin is
not cold-hardy enough for Area 3, and it slum Id be limited to
the best sit< in Area 2. The fruit has high-quality flesh and
an nt t pad i ve , red sk i n .
Reliance is a particularly winter-hardy variety with good
flesh quality. The frizziness of the skin detracts from its
appearance. It is suggested for trial in Area 3.
Richhaven is not recommended for Illinois because of its
tendency to form buttons and its erratic production.
Rio-Oso-Gem is somewhat winter- tender, even for Area 1.
However, its fruit quality is the best of the varieties ripen-
ing after Elberta. The tree is weak and is very susceptible
to winter injury, canker and B. pruni.
Sunhaven and Late Sunhaven are both attractive, good-
quality, shipping peaches that ripen before Redhaven.
The following varieties have buds that are considered to be too
tender for any area of Illinois: Blake, Cardinal, Jefferson,
Monroe, Washington.
Nonbrowning flesh is desirable for fresh use, as well as for
freezing and canning. The following varieties have this kind
of flesh:
Comanche
Cresthaven
Garnet Beauty
Glohaven
Harbelle
Harbrite
Hark en
Harmony
Late Sunhaven
Loring
Madison
Redhaven
Redskin
Reliance
Richhaven
Rio-Oso-Gem
Sunhaven
UNiV
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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA
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